


At This Time of Year, More Than Any

by CotyCat82



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: PeggysousSecretSantaExchange2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 18:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5386112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CotyCat82/pseuds/CotyCat82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy has nowhere to go for Christmas, so Daniel invites her to spend the holiday with his family, leading to all his relatives assuming that they're dating. For the PeggysousSecretSantaExchange2015. My gift to Eienvine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At This Time of Year, More Than Any

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eienvine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eienvine/gifts).



> This was written for Eienvine as part of the 2015 Peggysous Secret Santa Exchange. Happy Holidays, Eienvine!
> 
> The family was borrowed with permission from Paeonia's [Quo Vadis?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3804475/chapters/8475841), because they are frankly the perfect ready-made family for Daniel. And using them kept me within the time limit rules for this.

The move to California had not been as hard on Daniel as he thought it would be. His youngest sister, Tillie, and her husband had moved there three months ahead of him. Joe, his brother-in-law, was working out of the LA Air Force Base and they’d rented a little bungalow for the year they’d be staying there. So when Daniel had accepted his position as the new chief of the LA office, and the little bungalow right next to theirs had also had a vacancy, it seemed easy and natural to take it. 

Even before he made the move, it had been decided that his father, his other sister and her family would come to LA for Christmas that year. The memories of being separated for the holidays by the war still hung over them all. And for his father and eldest sister, Ines, both of whom had never been off the eastern seaboard, the notion of coming to California had been an adventure. And Daniel with his new higher salary had been delighted to be able to gift them their airline tickets. 

He’d been looking forward to their visit for months. What he’d not counted on was Carter. He’d thought he’d left her and his foolish crush on her behind in New York. Then she’d rolled into LA, firstly, for a case and then stayed on because she’d be heading some kind of new agency in conjunction with Philips and Stark. Two months ago when she arrived, he’d been her superior and that had been awkward enough. But now that she was a director of a yet to be named agency, working independently and autonomously out of the LA office, it was even worse for Daniel. Because she sat in on all of his high level meetings. Hell, she sat in on the meetings that were above his clearance. 

She was busy and important now. Director Carter. Who mingled with generals and scientists and politicians, as well as Hollywood stars and producers who she’d meet through Howard Stark. She was the rising star that Daniel always knew she would be. And what made it painfully awful for Daniel was that she seemed to still think of him as a friend. 

Coming into his office at the end of the day with expensive scotch in hand to “shop talk” as she called it. She’d shot the breeze with him for a while, laughing, joking and occasionally inviting him to a movie premiere or gala event she’d be attending that night. All things that could, no doubt, advance his career, but invitations that Daniel always politely declined. He wanted to go. More specifically he wanted to go with her, but not in the way she was asking him. 

Because Daniel’s crush and admiration for her had turned into what he always feared would happen if he stayed in her orbit: unrequited love. Daniel knew he’d never love another woman the way he loved Peggy Carter. Just as he knew that Peggy would never see him as anything more than a colleague and friend. And he tried his best to treasure and respect that friendship, even as he made efforts to keep some distance from her to protect his own heart. 

So when the rug had been pulled out from under Peggy’s Christmas plans, as her friend Daniel couldn’t not invite her to join him and his family for the holiday. Since she’d arrived in LA, Peggy had been talking about how her Great Aunt Beatrice would be coming to spend a good chunk of time with her. Great Aunt Beatrice who’d served as a messenger during the first war and who taught Peggy to do her make-up and hair, as well as how to shot and hot wire a car. 

And who, when Daniel saw a photo of, was the most beautiful 90 year old Daniel had ever seen. Peggy bore a strong resemblance to her great aunt. So looking at the image of Beatrice had given Daniel an idea of what Peggy would look like as an old woman. It shouldn’t have surprised him that Peggy would be beautiful at any age. 

But Great Aunt Beatrice had taken a fall playing polo with the royal family and broken an ankle two days before she was supposed to fly. She’d be fine, and had already made plans to vacation with Peggy as soon as she was cleared to travel, but Peggy had been devastated. Coming into to Daniel’s office, nearly in tears. The next thing Daniel knew he’d invited her to join his family for Christmas. And he’d been kicking himself ever since. Bad enough to have to put on the friend act with her at work, but to have to do it with his own family….at Christmas….he might prefer to sooner lose another leg. 

But the damage had been done. And exactly at 2pm, as she’d been told to, Peggy had arrived at Daniel’s little bungalow were his family was gathering for the holiday. A gift of wine and some trinkets toys for Daniel’s two nephews in hand. The children had been delighted by her. His eldest nephew Charlie had gawked at her stupidly for a moment, ignoring the toys before finally saying. “You’re the prettiest lady I ever saw.” 

Everyone had laughed, clearly delighted. Then Charlie, innocent that he was, tugged on Peggy’s skirt to draw her attention. “Miss Peggy,” he’d said, pointing up to the door arch, “You’ve got to kiss my Uncle, cause you’re both standing under the mistletoe. I hung it this morning with my Daddy!” 

There were “ohs” and “ahs” and all kind of noises urging a kiss on that Daniel had not been able to hear over the blood rushing in his ears. “Now, Charlie”, he began, “we don’t want to make Peggy uncomfortable…”

“It’s alright, Daniel.” Peggy had said, leaning over to kiss him. ON THE LIPS. “I don’t mind.” She said, before handing the wine over to his father and being ushered further into the house. 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there stupidly. Mouth, no doubt, hanging open, when Tillie had pulled on his arm. “You might want to wipe your girlfriend’s lipstick off your face.” 

“She’s not my…” but he’d been talking to no one then. They’d all been circling about Peggy in the living room. Peppering her with questions. Leaving Daniel to wipe at the red imprint that Peggy’s little peck had left him before following suit. 

“Daniel has told us so much about you.” (He had?) Ines began. “While we’re sorry to hear that your great aunt had an accident, of course, we’re delighted that you were able to join us.”

“We’d been just about to ask Daniel to invite the both of you to join us regardless.” Tillie had added. “So long as we wouldn’t have been intruding.” 

“We would have been delighted to receive the invitation.” Peggy had replied.

“We’d been hoping that Daniel would have invited you over sooner.” Ines had said, looking pointedly at Daniel. “For dinner or drinks. We’ve had some lovely gatherings in the backyard. Playing horseshoes and using the grill. The weather is so nice compared to what we have back home in Massachusetts. But then again, I guess that wouldn’t seem like much compared to all the glamorous Hollywood parties Daniel tells us you go to.”

Peggy had scoffed a little. “Those are work. Making contacts and baby-sitting Howard.” 

“I hear that’s a full-time job.” Joe had chimed in. 

“It is.” Peggy had said. “The man means well enough, but what is it that you called him Daniel…..”

“The Wizard of Oz.” Tillie had chimed in. “The man behind the curtain working the wrong levers.” 

Everyone had laughed, but Daniel.

“Truly though,” Peggy had said, still snickering a bit. “The idea of a backyard party with good people with something intelligible to say sounds much more enjoyable than the bizarre pandering and social climbing that goes on at those Hollywood events.”

“Then you’ll just have to join us the next time we have one.” Ines had said, clearly delighted. 

“I’d love to.” 

“We’ll have it in your honor then.” Joe had chimed in. 

The conversation had carried on much in the same vein for the hour left on the roast cooking in the oven. His family asking Peggy very specific and knowing questions about her job and her personal preferences that they learned about from Daniel (surely, he didn’t talk about her that much!) and then shooting Daniel pointed looks throughout the conversation. Why had he invited her to join them for church? Or, why hadn’t he taken her to the observatory yet, when she’d wanted to see it so much? 

Daniel had wondered if it would be possible to actually offer his one remaining leg up in exchange for avoiding the humiliation, because he’d seriously consider it. Peggy, however, had seemed unflustered by all of it. Answers questions and asking after his family in such specifics that it occurred to Daniel that he must have told her a great deal about them as well. 

The only person, besides Daniel, not active in the chit-chat had been his father. He’d been both polite and kind to Peggy, insisting that she call him Frank and not Mr. Sousa. But he’d been less gregarious and engaging than he usually was. Then it occurred to Daniel just why that was. He was observing Peggy. More specifically, he was observing Daniel observe Peggy. And that made Daniel feel more exposed and raw than anything else ever had. His father watching, likely seeing, the truth of the situation. 

Then finally dinner had been ready, thank god, and they all made to move into the dining room. 

“Oh, Daniel.” Ines had called after him, carrying the roast she’d made to the table, as he’d gone to take his seat. “Can you grab the wine opener from the counter?”

“Ah, sure.” He’d replied, wondering why one of his relatives, without a crutch, hadn’t been asked instead. Then it occurred to him just why when he’d come back to be seated. The only open spot had been right next to Peggy. 

With no other choice, Daniel had taken it. His father, seated to Peggy’s other side, had opened the meal with the grace they’d been saying as a family since Daniel’s childhood. But then added at the end, “And to new friends, who we hope to make feel as welcome as family.” It had been a pleasant and innocuous enough toast, but his family had repeated it. All of them giving him pointed looks. 

Then as the meal had begun, and they’d started questioning Peggy once again in a way that made him squirm, then worm. Daniel already having drunk more wine than he ever normally did, had wondered just how much more he’d have to drink to black this all out, when his father, bless his father, had kindly engaged Peggy is a quiet conversation. They ended up speaking lowly and softly mainly to just each other for the remainder of the meal. The rest of Daniel’s family had moved on to other things. 

Afterwards, they all gone back into the living room for dessert and coffee. And Daniel had begun looking at the clock, noting that it was getting late. Ines would want to put the boys down soon, so hopeful it could all be over in an hour. But then Joe had announced it was time for a family photo. “We’re all together. We might as well take advantage of it!”

Peggy had volunteered to play photographer for them, but Joe had tisked-tisked. Showing her the expensive camera Tillie had given him as both a Christmas and anniversary gift. And the timer on it. “You should be in it with us.” He said, ushering Peggy over to where everyone else had already lined up. Shoving her practically into Daniel’s side. He’d been mortified, but Peggy had stood there calmly leaning into him and smiled for the photo. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel once again noted his father watching him, trying to not watch Peggy. 

Dessert and coffee had been served, but the party showed no signs of breaking up. Ines had carried the children off to the guest room to bed and then joined the group again to continue the conversation. More wine. A round of second helpings. And then, they’d all realized it was nearly 2am. 

“I suppose I had better to get going.” Peggy had said, looking at the clock sadly. She’d stood to go, but his father had gently taken her arm. He’d whispered something softly in Peggy’s ear. 

Peggy had just looked up at Daniel’s father. Mouth slightly open. It may have been a trick of the lighting, but Daniel thought for a moment that her eyes had watered. 

“Oh, you can’t drive home now! It’s so late. Why don’t you stay with us overnight next door?” Tille had said, walking over to Peggy as well. “We have the space. Ines and the boys are staying here with Daniel. And it’s just Pai, Joe and I. There’s a completely empty furnished guest room. Please. We’d be bad hosts letting you leave this late.”

“I-" Peggy had begun, then Daniel’s father had nodded at her. “Thank you for that kind offer. Yes. I’d love to stay with you for the night.” 

With that Peggy had been ushered over to his sister’s bungalow. And Daniel would have the joy of doing all of this, all over again with his family in the morning. It’d been an unpleasant and unsettling thought that had left Daniel staring at the ceiling for at least an hour, trying to sleep. Finally realizing that wasn’t going to happen, he’d gone out to the backyard to get some air. 

Nothing separated the lawn space between his and Tillie’s bungalow and her place had a little stationary swing that was cushioned and seated two. Daniel had grown quite found of it. Sometimes rocking himself to sleep in it on other nights he couldn’t get himself down. He’d made his way over to it, hoping it might do the trick again, when two legs suddenly popped out from under its canopy. 

“Couldn’t sleep.” Peggy had said, but he couldn’t tell if she was asking him if he was having trouble sleeping or stating that she had been. 

“I-" He’d said stupidly. He’d not expected to find her there, sitting outside in his sister’s backyard. Yet, her being there seemed natural somehow. In some ways Daniel had been grateful, seating himself beside her when she’d patted the cushion. At least the humiliating conversation that they were no doubt about to have would be private, and not in the office. 

Once he had settled, unsurprisingly Peggy had jumped right in. “You family seems to be under the impression that you and I are dating each other.” 

That hung in the air for a moment. Daniel wanted to offer up all sorts of excuses or apologies or explanations, but he’d been just too damn tired. So he’d said simply. “Yeah.”

More silence. Daniel hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at Peggy. 

“Why did you never ask me out again for another drink? In New York, or here when I arrived?”

He’d not replied to that either, but just shook his head in frustrated despair.

“Daniel?” She prompted again after a while. 

Then after another lengthy pause she’d said. “I would have said yes.”

He’d finally managed to look at her. Her eyes were open and unfathomable in the moonlight. “You could have asked me.” He finally said, glad that his back bone had suddenly reappeared. 

“I did ask you.” She’d shot back. “And for more than just a drink. To outings and events and parties and gatherings. And even to just dinner once. But you always said no.”

“You said those were work things.” He said, recalling the conversation inside with his family. 

“Not the ones I invited you to.” 

He just started at her for a moment. Replaying every moment since she arrived in LA in his head over again. Wondering what he hadn’t seen. 

“Your father told me that you sometimes came out here when you couldn’t sleep at night. I took that as a hint that I might catch you alone.” 

“What else did my father say to you?” Daniel had asked, wondering just what his father could have told her that would compelled Peggy to wait outside in the middle of the night, on the off chance of catching him. 

“That he knows you care for me. That he thought, perhaps, I might feel the same way about you. And that at this time of year, more than any, whatever petty misunderstandings there are between us should not be allowed to outweigh what drew us to care for each other in the first place.” A beat. “Your father seems to be a wise man.”

“He is.” 

“Ask me again.” She’d said, her voice thick and heavy with emotion. 

“Will you go out for drinks with me?”

“I’ll not.” She’d replied tersely. And Daniel’s heart fell into his shoes. 

“But I would come to one of your family’s backyard gatherings. If I were to be invited by you, specifically.” 

He’d felt his lips pull up into a smile. “Peggy, would you come to one of my family’s backyard gatherings tomorrow night, then?”

“I would love to.” She’d said with a smile of her own, taking his hand. He’d looked away from her again. Too emotional to say or do anything without embarrassing himself.

But Peggy called his attention back to her. “Daniel?” He voice low and quiet and uncertain. “Would you kiss me without needing the excuse of mistletoe?”

He’d turned to meet her gaze. Soft and glowing in the moonlight. He’d swallowed hard and nodded, leaning in to kiss her. Gentle and warm with the hope of so many promises. 

When he’d finally pulled back for air, she’d smiled. “Happy Christmas, Daniel.”

“Happy Christmas, Peggy.”


End file.
